How Reddit CEO Steve Huffman pivoted on Semafor's podcast

On Semafor's Mixed Signals podcast, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman was confronted by the co-host reading negative social media posts about him. 

Yet, Huffman pulled off the kind of three-part pivot that I teach executives and founders who face similar surprises. Let's look at what Huffman did:

𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣: 𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

"We've all forgotten why we hate me," Huffman replied bluntly with a laugh, taking a little strategic air out of the balloon.

Huffman recalled how in April 2023, his company caused massive backlash ahead of a planned IPO by suddenly charging for outside application entry to the platform's API. 

He even adds: "And then I inadvertently stirred the pot more than was necessary" without going into it -- a little honest admission of guilt.

𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣: 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁.

Huffman redirects into the personal.

"But if we can go deep for a second, you're actually touching on something that was a transformative moment in my life." 

He recalls reading Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search For Meaning" to find purpose in his life and concluding that "my job at Reddit is stressful because it's interesting — and that's actually a real privilege and an honor, to have such an interesting job, even if it's really stressful."

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗗 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣: 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁.

Huffman lays out a better future, learned from past mistakes: 

"I always tell the team, whether it's users, or a bad piece about us in the press that feels totally unfair or exaggerated, or some off-the-rails podcast interview — it happens — find the truth in what they're saying."

➡️ Think of it in terms of playing basketball: 

1) Take the ball -- acknowledge the question; 

2) Turn to the basket -- use your pivot phrase; 

3) Take the shot -- say what you want to say.